Composition for removing paint or varnish.



1570 Drawing.

UNITED srn'rns rarnnr ormon.

JOHN M. WILSON, OF MONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY, A SSIGNOR TO WILSON REMOVERCOMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION. OF NEW JERSEY.

COMPOSITION FOR REMOVING PAINT OB VARNISH.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN ll [ACNAULL WILSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Connposition for Removing Paint or Varnish, of

which the following is a specification.

This ,invention. comprises a composition of matter suitable for use as aremover for paint and varnish or other finishes.

In my 'prior application Serial No. 526,816, filed November 8, 1909, Ihave described a composition of matter suited for removing paint andVarnish and other finishes, said composition containing benzol, acetone,a material of waxy consistence and phenol. In said application I havepointed out that a composition of the above character possesses certaindistinctive advantages among which the following may be mentioned; (1)The varnish or paint residues after application ot the remover are of acensistence highly favorable to their removal, being; eonsticky andcolloidal or jelly-lilcaand retaining such consistence for long periods;'(2) these residues may be removed by wiping, scraping, brushing ore-gquivalentmethods, leaving the surface in condition for, theapplication of paint or varnish without the necessity otapplying asolvent wash. b

I have found that by somewhat modi1ty- ,inglhe proportions at theingredients a further improved result may be secured, in that theremover is rendered capable of a more rapid action, and also of a widerrange of action in {that a single composition is eftective tor loathpaint and varnish. Furthermore,the remover is decidedly improved withrespect to the consistence of the residues and with regard to the periodduring which they remain in a conditiontavorable for removal. It isfurther characteristic of the improved composition that the vaportension of "the volatile-solvents therein is greatly reduced, which notonly lessens the Specification of Letters l atent.

Paraffin or equivalent waxy body Patented Aug. 2'7, I9I2..

Application filed June 13, 1910. Serial No. 566,544.

loss of these solvents by evaporation and increasesthe time durin whichthe residues remain soft, but permits the substitution of wood alcoholfor acetone in the formula without the highly objectionable resultswhich usually follow the use of this material, and asspecifically'claimed' in my copending application Serial No. 566,545,filed June 13,1910. l My preferred composition is prepared as follows,it being understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseproportions referred to by way of example: Approximately 34; p'arts ofparaliin or equivalent material of waxy consistence is heated or boiledwith about 68 parts of commercial phenol, which may include also otherphenolic bodies, as the homologues of phenol. The resulting liquidcomposition orsolution is then added in suitable proportions to amixture of volatile solvents comprising benzol and a loosening finishsolvent asalcohol or acetone. In case alcohol is employed I prefor touse methyl alcohol; and in case acetone is used it may be of any of thecommercial grades, often containing considerable proportions ofalcoholic or ketonic bodies. The preferred proportions of the mixtureare:

Phenol 68 parts Benzol 299 Acetone or methyl alcohol or mixtures ofthese 299 The above composition possesses in the highest degree theabove-mentioned distinctive characteristics, of'leaving the paint orvarnish residues in most favorable condition for removal and of leavingthe cleaned surface in condition for immediate're-coatfor the varnish,and adapts the composition for use as a paint remover. Furthermore,being non-volatile at ordinary temperatures, it keeps the surface wetfor long periods and therefore permits the residue to be removed'withease many hours after the application of the composition. Othervimfportant functions are related to its effects upon and in conjunctionwith the paraffin or equivalent material of waxy consistence, theseeffects being of several kinds. First, it greatly facilitates thesuspension of any recipitate, owing partly doubtless to the increasedspecific gravity of the liquid due to its presence, and probably partlyalso to some definite chemical or physical action upon the waxy body;for it is found that the action of the composition, particularly inrespect to the formation of an objectionable coatin upon the cleanedsurface, is far less favora le if paraffin be merelya'dded totheliquidcomposition instead of being heated in presence of thephenol. :Inthe second place, it so modifies the composition that the paint orvarnish residues may be completely removed, by scraping, brushing, orother means, without leaving at the cleaned surface any deposit whichrequires removal by a supplemental solvent wash before re-coating.

In the third place, the phenol, in conjunction with the otherconstituents of the composition, imparts to the residues the nonstickyand slow-hardening consistence which is so favorable to their readyremoval. In the fourth place, the effectiveness of the composition isfar less liable to be reduced by pro longed brushing, over either aintor varnish. Thus it is well known t at in case of removerscomprisinvolatile solvents and a waxy body, the e ect of over-brushing is greatlyto accelerate the evaporation of the solvents and thereby to lessen theefiiciency of the -remover; in the present case however the compositionforms in conjunction with the paint or varnish resldues a non-sticky,

colloidal or jelly-like mass which dries or hardens very'slowly, andprolonged brushing is found to have littleefiect upon the evaporationwhile serving to accelerate the cutting or solvent action. In order tosecure these advantages in their highest degree I consider it essentialthat the phenol should resent in excess of 6% by weight, and

be pre erablyin excess of 3% b weight of the combined ingredients of t ecomposition. The preferred roportion of phenolis approximately 10% yweight of the composition. The parafiin or equivalent mate- ;rial ofwaxy consistence should not exceed 75%. b weight .of the phenol present,and is pre erably used in approximately. the proportionof 50% by weightthereof. If excessive proportions of paraflin be employed'the surface ofthe wood after removal of the finish will be found unsuited forimmediate re-coating, requiring the use of a solventwash; and if themixture be deficient in phenol the cutting action will be found lessperfect and rapid and the residue sticky or rubber-like andcomparatively V "dillicult of removal.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the advantages of this removerdepend primarily upon the employment of a certain proportion of phenoland a certain pro-.v portion of parafiin or waxy matter-in rela' tionthereto, these being combined with appropriate volatile solvents. .Asabove stated,

there appears to be a definite chemical or physical interaction betweenthe phenol and the paraffin, and between the phenol and paraffin and thepaint or varnish residues,

as a result of which the residues acquire the easily removablecharacterreferred to.

I claim:

1. A composition suited for removing paint or varnish, containing amixture of volatile solvents including a wax solvent and a. looseningfinish solvent capable of precipitating wax, phenol and a'body of waxyconsistence, the phenol in excess of six per cent. by weight of thecomposition and the waxy body not-in excess of seventy five per cent. byweight of the phenol.

2. A composition suited for removing paint or varnish, containing amixture of volatile solvents including benzol and a loosening finishsolvent capable of precipitating wax,'phenol and a body of waxyconslstence, the phenol in excess of six per cent.

by weight of the composition and the waxy precipitatingwax, phenol and abody of waxy consistence, the phenol in excess of.-

3. A composition suited for removinga mixture of" a wax solvent and aloosening finish so vent capable of seven and One-half'per cent. byweight .of

the-composition and the waxy body not in excess of seventy-five percentI by weight of the phenoL' 5. A composition suited for removingpaint or varnish, containing a mixture of volatile solvents, includinand a loosening finish. so vent ca able of precipitating wax, phenol and1 a l) waxy consistence, the phenol inexcess of ody of a wax solvent lnine per cent. by weight of the composition nine per cent. by weight ofthe-composition 10 and the waxy body not 1n excess of seventyfive percent. by weight of the phenol.

6. A composition suited for removin paint or varnish, containing amixture 0 volatile solvents, including a wax solvent and a looseningfinish solvent. capable of precipitating wax, phenoland a body of waxyconsistence,jthe phenol in excess of and the waxy body not in excess offifty-five per cent. by weight of the phenol. In'testimon whereof, I.flix my signature in' presence 0 two witnesses. I

i JOHN M. WILSON.- Witnesses v JOSEPH KEMPF, CHAS. C. Gtm'mnnnnc.

